Washington (CNN) – The U.S. House on Friday passed a $109 billion transportation funding bill as part of a package that includes a measure holding down interest rates on federal student loans.

Both are priorities of President Barack Obama and came after rare bipartisan agreement in the deeply divided Congress. The package, which passed the House on a vote of 373-52, now goes to the Senate for final approval.

soundoff(12 Responses)

Four and The Door

Democrats were forced to accept GOP demands to streamline and speed up the federal review process of construction projects.
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Why would Democrats oppose streamlining the federal review process of construction projects if it is possible to do?
It looks like Republicans are fighting here to create jobs quickly and inexpensively just as we need them to. Do the Democrats consider this a compromise?

June 29, 2012 11:25 am at 11:25 am |

Larry L

@Four and The Door

Democrats were forced to accept GOP demands to streamline and speed up the federal review process of construction projects.
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Based on my experience with Republicans and defense contracting when they want the process expedited it's because they have a Halliburton or some other sweetheart contractor in mind and don't want a truly competitive bidding system. They have done absolutely nothing to speed up job creation and have worked to suppress economic recovery to help in the election. To believe otherwise is dishonest or delusional.

June 29, 2012 12:01 pm at 12:01 pm |

NVa Native

Let's see if the GOP is adult enough and patriotic enough to do their job and fund the jobs already waiting to go and help stimulate our economy while finally paying for something worth doing?

June 29, 2012 12:08 pm at 12:08 pm |

Cal

Let's see if the GOP is adult enough and patriotic enough to do their job and fund the jobs already waiting to go and help stimulate our economy while finally paying for something worth doing?
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Get out of here with that trash for all the crap we had to take with juvenile and asinine behavior during the Bush years. And by the way what percentage of all that $$ will trickle down to jobs? It’s the most inefficient way to create employment known and democrats still think government spending is the bill they never have to pay.

June 29, 2012 12:17 pm at 12:17 pm |

Fair is Fair

"Let's see if the GOP is adult enough and patriotic enough to do their job and fund the jobs already waiting to go and help stimulate our economy while finally paying for something worth doing?"
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According to BHO, there's no "shovel ready" jobs. And he laughs about it.

Obama 2012 - BEND Forward America, take another 4 long years of OBAMA FAILURE

Yeah, let's just keep throwing money we don't have out the window. Weren't all the libtards in here yesterday bragging about all the emergency room deadbeats that will now have to pay their way?! Why can't these people, that voluntarily took out and agreed to these loans TAKE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY do the same thing? This is PRECISELY why the US government should NOT be in the loan business, TO ANYBODY. It all just becomes another giant election gimmick THAT WE HAVE TO PAY FOR.

Well at least the road leading to the financial abyss will be a well paved road. Heaven forbid we should blow a tire and slow down the inevitable.

Meanwhile we wonder why things aren't getting any better, when all they do is the same old insanity.

June 29, 2012 12:33 pm at 12:33 pm |

Rudy NYC

Four and The Door asked:

Why would Democrats oppose streamlining the federal review process of construction projects if it is possible to do?
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Because the language simply said "construction projects", and nothing more specific than that. In other words, the GOTP were trying to play the Democrats for fools and sneak in a provision that allows pipelines, gas fracking mines, and everything else no one wants in their backyard. That is how Glass-Steagall got repealed.

June 29, 2012 12:46 pm at 12:46 pm |

Marc in Texas

I would love to find a Republican who actually bothered to understand PPACA. The stupidity of the right wing rhetoric is simply mind-numbing – it's clear they don't understand the law, don't understamd the issue, don't comprehend the process...the entire opposition is built upon crass ignorance. You can't debate people who can't act like grown-ups – it's senseless. So. from now on, my stance is this: "Because your mother says so. Niow pipe down, or you are going upstairs without dinner."